First Edition: September 4, 2018
Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Kaiser Health News:
A Texas Lawsuit Being Heard This Week Could Mean Life Or Death For The ACA
In February, 18 GOP attorneys general and two GOP governors filed the suit in federal district court in the Northern District of Texas. They argue that because the Supreme Court upheld the ACA in 2012 by saying its requirement to carry insurance was a legitimate use of Congress’ taxing power, eliminating the tax penalty for failure to have health insurance makes the entire law unconstitutional. “Texans have known all along that Obamacare is unlawful and a divided Supreme Court’s approval rested solely on the flimsy support of Congress’ authority to tax,” Paxton said in a statement when the suit was filed. “Congress has now kicked that flimsy support from beneath the law.” (Rovner, 9/4)
Kaiser Health News:
Creating Rituals To Honor The Dead At Long-Term-Care Facilities
One by one, their names were recited as family members clutched one another’s hands and silently wept. Seventeen men and women had died within the past year at Gray Health & Rehabilitation, a 58-bed nursing home. Today, their lives were being honored and the losses experienced by those who cared for them recognized. Death and its companion, grief, have a profound presence in long-term-care facilities. Residents may wake up one morning to find someone they saw every day in the dining room gone. Nursing aides may arrive at work to find an empty bed, occupied the day before by someone they’d helped for months. (Graham, 9/4)
Kaiser Health News:
Over Past 20 Years, The Percentage Of Children With ADHD Nearly Doubles
The number of children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has reached more than 10 percent, a significant increase during the past 20 years, according to a study released Friday. The rise was most pronounced in minority groups, suggesting that better access to health insurance and mental health treatment through the Affordable Care Act might have played some role in the increase. The rate of diagnosis during that time period doubled in girls, although it was still much lower than in boys. (Bluth, 8/31)
The New York Times:
An Advocate For Women Or A Threat? As Hearings Begin, Differing Views Of Kavanaugh Emerge
Two wildly different portraits of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh are set to emerge on Tuesday when he appears on Capitol Hill for the opening of his Supreme Court confirmation hearings. One is a champion for women; the other a threat to women’s rights. Republicans will present Judge Kavanaugh to the nation as an experienced, independent-minded jurist with a sparkling résumé, and as an advocate and mentor for women in the judiciary. Among the cases they will cite: his 2009 ruling in favor of Emily’s List, the group that backs Democratic women who support abortion rights. (Stolberg, 9/3)
The Washington Post:
Hours Before Kavanaugh Nomination Hearings, Bush Lawyer Releases 42,000 Pages Of Documents To Judiciary Committee
Hours before the start of hearings on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the lawyer for former president George W. Bush turned over 42,000 pages of documents from the nominee’s service in the Bush White House, angering Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, who issued what is certain to be a futile call to delay the proceedings. “Not a single senator will be able to review these records before tomorrow,” Schumer (D-N.Y.) tweeted Monday evening. (Barbash and Kim, 9/3)
The Associated Press:
What To Watch For As Senators Consider Kavanaugh Nomination
Republicans who mostly back President Donald Trump's pick are focusing on Kavanaugh's 12-year career as an appellate court judge, which has produced more than 300 opinions. Democrats are expected to take a more pointed tack, grilling the 53-year-old conservative on hot-button issues that could swing the court's majority rightward. Four days of hearings begin Tuesday. Democratic leader Chuck Schumer fumed Monday night over the committee receiving more than 42,000 pages of documents about Kavanaugh's years with the Bush administration the night before the hearings get underway. He called for a delay until Kavanaugh's records could be reviewed. (Mascaro, 9/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Key Question In Senate Hearings: Would Kavanaugh Overturn Supreme Court Precedents?
With Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings set to begin Tuesday, partisans on both sides are focusing on one of the most consequential questions surrounding his nomination: Whether he would stand firm with precedents set by landmark rulings or be willing to overturn them. Liberals warn that key rulings on abortion, affirmative action and gay rights could be weakened or reversed by a court that leans further to the right. Many conservatives, on the other hand, hope those precedents will be limited by future rulings and eventually crumble, even if Judge Kavanaugh moves carefully rather than tearing through established doctrine. (Kendall, 9/3)
Politico:
Democrats’ Last Shot At Stopping Trump’s Supreme Court Pick
The long-shot path to killing Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination runs through the heart of the American health care system — and right into the November midterm elections. Senate Democrats prepping for this week’s marathon confirmation hearings are zeroing in on the health care views of the man who could pull the nation’s high court to the right for a generation — and determine the fate of abortion rights, the social safety net and Obamacare itself, possibly within months. (Cancryn, 9/3)
Politico:
Keeping Up With Kavanaugh's Confirmation: Top Buzzwords Decoded
Opponents of the conservative judge so far do not appear poised to block him from receiving the 50 Senate votes he needs to win confirmation to a lifetime appointment on the Supreme Court. So Democrats are hoping to find fodder during the hearings to convince abortion-rights supporters in both parties to oppose President Donald Trump's nominee. (9/4)
Politico:
Dems Hunt For A Win As They Struggle In Kavanaugh Battle
"This game is a long way from over," Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) said in an interview last week. “In fact, we haven’t really gone out on the field yet." Republicans are likely to have a 51-49 margin in the Senate by the time Kavanaugh comes to a final vote, thanks to the imminent announcement of a replacement for the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). That would mean Democrats have to stay united and pick off two GOP votes in order to defeat Kavanaugh — a tall order, despite their success in driving down public polling on the nominee. (Schor, 9/3)
The Wall Street Journal:
Key Things To Watch For In Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court Nomination Hearings
Here are some facts about the hearings and things to watch. (Tau, 9/4)
The Washington Post:
Who Is Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s Pick For Supreme Court?
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday begins what is expected to be a four-day hearing on President Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh to be the Supreme Court’s 114th justice. The senators and Kavanaugh will make opening statements on Tuesday. Kavanaugh will answer questions the next two days. And those supporting and opposing his nomination will testify after that. (Barnes, 9/3)
The Associated Press:
Kavanaugh's Life Seems Scripted For A Supreme Court Role
Judge Brett Kavanaugh's life seems as carefully constructed as the Supreme Court arguments he will hear if he is confirmed to the high court. He checks all the boxes of the ways of Washington, or at least the way Washington used to be. He's a team player — the conservative team — stepping up to make a play at key moments in politics, government and the law dating to the Bill Clinton era and the salacious dramas of that time. (Woodward, 9/3)
The Wall Street Journal:
Brett Kavanaugh’s Record Shows Push To Restrain The Regulatory State
A look at [Kavanaugh's] writings reveals what senators will likely find: a consistent push to restrain the regulatory state. That was clear in a Senate questionnaire item asking him to list his most significant opinions as a federal judge. Judge Kavanaugh, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, chose a 2008 dissent in which he suggested the high court erred in its unanimous 1935 decision upholding the constitutionality of independent agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission. (Bravin and Kendall, 8/31)
Politico:
Why Trump Won’t See A Kavanaugh Bump
Donald Trump won’t get to reset his frenzied presidency two months before the critical midterm elections – no matter how smoothly Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation hearings go this week. (Cadelago, 9/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Voters Focus On Economy, Health Care And Immigration In Midterms
When Lou Hurst heads to the polls this November, two issues will be at the top of her mind as she casts her vote in the 2018 midterm election: the economy and health care. While she acknowledges that a low unemployment rate and other indicators point to a strong economy, Ms. Hurst said she is worried about wealth inequality and stagnant wage growth. She also is concerned that Republicans, if they keep total control of Congress, would again try to repeal or gut the Affordable Care Act. (Duehren, 9/3)
Politico:
GOP Leaders Scramble To Avoid Pre-Election Day Shutdown
Congressional Republicans return to Washington on Tuesday with a singular goal for September: avoid a government shutdown. But with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, that’s easier said than done. (Bade and Bresnahan, 9/3)
Modern Healthcare:
ACA Court Case Causing Jitters In D.C. And Beyond
For months, congressional Republicans have ignored the Texas-led lawsuit seeking to overturn the Affordable Care Act. With the midterm elections looming, talk of the case threatened to reopen wounds from failed attempts to repeal the law. Not to mention that legal experts have been panning the basis of the suit. But that's all changing as the ACA faces its day in court … again. The queasy feeling of uncertainty that surrounded the law just one year ago is back. The level of panic setting in for the industry and lawmakers is pinned to oral arguments set for Sept. 5 in Texas vs. Azar. (Luthi, 8/31)
NPR:
Analysts Predict Health Care Marketplace Premiums Will Stabilize In 2019
Consumers who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act markets may be pleasantly surprised this fall as average premiums are forecast to rise much less than in recent years. The price of a 2019 policy sold on the ACA exchanges will increase less than 4 percent according to an analysis of preliminary filings from insurers in all 50 states by ACASignups.net, a web site and blog run by analyst Charles Gaba that tracks ACA enrollment and insurer participation. (Kodjak, 9/3)
Politico:
Immigrants, Fearing Trump Crackdown, Drop Out Of Nutrition Programs
Immigrants are turning down government help to buy infant formula and healthy food for their young children because they’re afraid the Trump administration could bar them from getting a green card if they take federal aid. Local health providers say they’ve received panicked phone calls from both documented and undocumented immigrant families demanding to be dropped from the rolls of WIC, a federal nutrition program aimed at pregnant women and children, after news reports that the White House is potentially planning to deny legal status to immigrants who’ve used public benefits. Agencies in at least 18 states say they’ve seen drops of up to 20 percent in enrollment, and they attribute the change largely to fears about the immigration policy. (Bottemiller Evich, 9/3)
The Associated Press:
DeVos Says She Won't Take Action On Funding To Arm Teachers
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Friday that she has "no intention of taking any action" regarding any possible use of federal funds to arm teachers or provide them with firearms training. DeVos' comments came after a top official in her department, asked about arming teachers, said states and local jurisdictions always "had the flexibility" to decide how to use federal education funds. (8/31)
The New York Times:
Microwave Weapons Are Prime Suspect In Ills Of U.S. Embassy Workers
During the Cold War, Washington feared that Moscow was seeking to turn microwave radiation into covert weapons of mind control. More recently, the American military itself sought to develop microwave arms that could invisibly beam painfully loud booms and even spoken words into people’s heads. The aims were to disable attackers and wage psychological warfare. (Broad, 9/1)
The New York Times:
New Medicare Cards Are Being Issued. Here’s What You Need To Know.
As people across the country receive new, safer Medicare cards in the mail, advocates are warning about fraudulent callers who try to dupe people into paying money or divulging personal information. The government is gradually replacing Medicare cards for the 60 million people covered by the federal health plan. Previously, the cards used the recipient’s Social Security number as his or her Medicare number, which posed a risk of identity theft. Congress mandated a change in 2015. (Carrns, 8/31)
The New York Times:
You’ll Never Guess Which Company Is Reinventing Health Benefits
It’s hard to think of a company that seems less likely to transform health care. It isn’t headquartered in Silicon Valley, with all the venture-backed start-ups. It’s not among the corporate giants — Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase — that recently announced, with much fanfare, a plan to overhaul the medical-industrial complex for their employees. And it is among the most hated companies in the United States, according to many surveys on customer satisfaction. It’s Comcast. (Abelson, 8/31)
Stat:
Berkshire Hathaway Investors See Another Blockbuster For Warren Buffett
Inside Berkshire Hathaway, some investors think legendary CEO Warren Buffett may be laying the groundwork for a blockbuster business opportunity, spawned from the health care venture he recently formed with the leaders of Amazon and JPMorgan Chase. While most of the national discussion about the high-profile venture has focused on its potential to reshape the U.S. health care system, interviews with two long-time Berkshire shareholders show that within Buffett World, it’s also seen as a chance to develop profit-making lines of business and new investment ideas. (Ross, 9/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Johnson & Johnson Heads Health Care List In Management Top 250
Johnson & Johnson took the top spot among health-care and life-sciences companies in the Management Top 250. The New Brunswick, N.J., company was No. 4 overall, lifted in particular by its scores in innovation, social responsibility, and employee engagement and development. In those three areas of management effectiveness, J&J scored in the top 1% of all companies analyzed for the ranking. It also got high marks in the financial-strength category, where it was in the top 4% of companies. (8/31)
The New York Times:
Sick River: Can These California Tribes Beat Heroin And History?
For thousands of years, the Klamath River has been a source of nourishment for the Northern California tribes that live on its banks. Its fish fed dozens of Indian villages along its winding path, and its waters cleansed their spirits, as promised in their creation stories. But now a crisis of opioid addiction is gripping this remote region. At the same time, the Klamath’s once-abundant salmon runs have declined to historic lows, the culmination of 100 years of development and dam building along the river. (Del Real, 9/4)
The New York Times:
‘It’s Like, Who’s Next?’: A Troubled School’s Alarming Death Rate
When four former students from the same school died within months of one another in 2015, it seemed random, a morbid coincidence. Then the number kept growing. At least seven more died the next year. Their fellow alumni, feeling more anxious with each death, started to keep count. By the time a classmate in Ohio died of a heroin overdose in October, the toll had reached at least 87. (Wilson, 9/2)
The Washington Post:
In Va., Kaine And Stewart Offer Differing Views On The Opioid Crisis
Something both candidates in Virginia’s U.S. Senate race can agree on is the fact that opioid addiction has torn through the state, with 1,229 people dead from overdoses last year and thousands more in prison for crimes related to addiction. Where Republican Corey A. Stewart and Sen. Tim Kaine (D) disagree is the cause behind the growing problem and how to fix it, differences the candidates have highlighted while touring areas of the state that have been hit hardest by what officials deemed a public health emergency in 2016. (Olivo, 9/3)
The New York Times:
A Debate Over ‘Rational Suicide’
On a March morning in 1989, Robert Shoots was found dead in his garage in Weir, Kan. He had run a tube from the tailpipe of his beloved old Chrysler to the front seat, where he sat with a bottle of Wild Turkey. He was 80. His daughter wishes he had mentioned this plan when they spoke by phone the night before, because she didn’t get to say a satisfying goodbye. But she would not have tried to dissuade him from suicide. Years earlier, he had told her of his intentions. (Span, 8/31)
The New York Times:
Preventing Muscle Loss Among The Elderly
“Use it or lose it.” I’m sure you’re familiar with this advice. And I hope you’ve been following it. I certainly thought I was. I usually do two physical activities a day, alternating among walking, cycling and swimming. I do floor exercises for my back daily, walk up and down many stairs and tackle myriad physical tasks in and around my home. (Brody, 9/3)
The New York Times:
Scientists Are Retooling Bacteria To Cure Disease
In a study carried out over the summer, a group of volunteers drank a white, peppermint-ish concoction laced with billions of bacteria. The microbes had been engineered to break down a naturally occurring toxin in the blood. The vast majority of us can do this without any help. But for those who cannot, these microbes may someday become a living medicine. (Zimmer, 9/4)
The New York Times:
From 0 To 10 Million: Vaping Takes Off In The U.S.
Some experts have suggested that e-cigarettes can help wean people off regular cigarettes; others believe that they reinforce the smoking habit and increase the user’s exposure to nicotine. But there’s no dispute that e-cigarettes have grown popular since their introduction in 2004. Now a nationwide survey has found that 10.8 million adults in the United States are vaping. (Bakalar, 8/31)
The Washington Post:
Potential Foster Parents Weigh The Risks Of Children Who Have Suffered Trauma
“Raise your hand if you think every child deserves a loving home,” the social worker said. She held up a photo of five brothers and sisters, all teenagers. I glanced around the room and tried to read the eyes of other potential foster-care parents at the information session. A dozen couples and a handful of singles ranging in age from late 20s to mid-50s sat in the conference room of a private nonprofit agency in Maryland that handles foster placements. Did they feel as uncertain as I did? (Rough, 9/1)
The Wall Street Journal:
The World Isn’t As Bad As Your Wired Brain Tells You
Ever wonder why people’s perception of the incidence of crime, terrorism, kidnapping and other violent acts is often much higher than the reality? Why the U.S. is becoming a low-trust society? Why Americans are collectively in a funk? A big part of the answer, according to experts in social science, psychology and computer science, is that the biases that were once useful to our primitive forebears have become—like the craving for sweet foods—detriments in our modern world. Instincts that may once have saved us from real dangers have now, thanks to global instantaneous communication, turned us all into Chicken Littles. (Mims, 8/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Caught In A Political Echo Chamber? Listening To The Opposition Can Make Partisanship Even Worse
Dwelling in a political echo chamber — where you only encounter people who agree with you — is hardly conducive to a healthy democracy. But it turns out that broadening your horizons by perusing opposing points of view on social media may just make the partisan divide worse. That’s the depressing result of an unusual experiment involving 909 Democrats and 751 Republicans who spend a lot of time on Twitter. (Kaplan, 8/31)
Stat:
FluMist Should Be Avoided In Favor Of Shots, Pediatrics Group Says
The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending children be vaccinated with injectable flu vaccine for the coming season, rather than the nasal spray vaccine FluMist, unless a child will only be vaccinated if he or she can forgo a needle, or if a doctor runs out of flu shots. “The AAP feels that the flu shot should be the primary vaccine choice for all children,” said Dr. Henry Bernstein, a pediatrician and an ex-officio member of the AAP’s committee on infectious diseases. (Branswell, 9/3)
The Associated Press:
Warnings Over Pollution Met With A Shrug In Coal Country
It's coal people like miner Steve Knotts, 62, who make West Virginia Trump Country. So it was no surprise that President Donald Trump picked the state to announce his plan rolling back Obama-era pollution controls on coal-fired power plants. (Knickmeyer and Raby, 9/4)
The Washington Post:
Stretching, Vigorous And Slow, Recommended For Pre-Workout Warmup
Myles Schneider, 74, a semiretired podiatrist who lives in Reston, stretches for 60 minutes, six times a week. Schneider, who also walks briskly for 45 minutes twice weekly and runs three times a week for 45 minutes in the deep end of a pool, spends more time stretching than he does in actual exercise. An hour of slow stretching may seem excessive, but it works for Schneider. (Cimons, 9/1)
The New York Times:
Tricky Ads From A Vitamin Company That Talks Up Openness
The online vitamin and supplement marketplace is fierce, star-studded and murky. The Kardashians endorse gummies they say promote hair health. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website pushes pills and liquids in the name of holistic wellness. Even the conspiracy website Infowars is partly funded through the sale of potions and powders. (Maheshwari, 9/2)
The Washington Post:
Body As Work Of Art Exhibit Puts You In Other's Skin
Empathy is said to be found by walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. But what if you could walk a mile in a stranger’s body instead? You might learn to appreciate the different curves of their skin, the scars, moles and features that make their body unique. You’d recognize their idiosyncrasies, too: asymmetrical features, body parts shaped by genetic conditions and life experiences. (Blakemore, 9/2)
The Associated Press:
Study Shows Health, Reaction-Time Declines In Firefighters
Randy Brooks' son had a request three years ago: What could his dad do to make wildland firefighting safer? To Brooks, a professor at the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources who deals with wildland firefighting, it was more of a command. His son, Bo Brooks, is a wildland firefighter who a few days earlier during that 2015 fire season fled a wall of flames that killed three of his fellow firefighters in eastern Washington. (Ridler, 9/1)
NPR:
Raising Free-Range Kids In An Age Of Helicopter Parenting Is Tough
Walking through the woods alone can be a scary prospect for a kid, but not for 7-year-old Matthew of Portland, Oregon. He doesn't have much of a backyard at his condo, so the woods behind his house essentially serve the same purpose. He spends hours out there: swinging on a tire swing, tromping across the ravine to a friend's house, and using garden shears to cut a path. He lays down sticks to form a bridge across the small stream that flows in the winter. And he does all of this without any adult supervision. (Prichep, 9/3)
The Washington Post:
Claire Wineland, Who Inspired Millions On YouTube Chronicling Her Cystic Fibrosis Battle, Has Died After A Lung Transplant
Claire Wineland spent nearly every hour of her two decades alive preparing for the end. The California native was diagnosed at birth with cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that overloads the organs with an excess of mucus. The illness meant a life of painful treatment, hospital stays, and likely a premature death. But instead of wallowing in her situation, Wineland used social media platforms, like Instagram and YouTube, to pipe out the difficult details of her life to the public. Her videos and posts pulled in millions of viewers drawn to the magnetic teenager’s plucky humor and candor about living on the edge of death. (Swenson, 9/4)
The New York Times:
Ebola Attacked Congo Again. But Now Congo Seems To Be Winning
The month-old Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which emerged unexpectedly in a dangerous region and quickly soared to over 100 cases, now appears to be fading. Only a handful of new cases appear each week, and the region's two treatment centers, full until recently, now have fewer than 30 patients in their 78 beds. (McNeil, 9/2)
Reuters:
California Hospital Chain With Ties To Billionaire Files For Bankruptcy
Verity Health System of California Inc, a non-profit operator of six California hospitals managed by billionaire former surgeon Patrick Soon-Shiong's NantWorks LLC, filed for bankruptcy on Friday to help resolve a cash crunch while it seeks a buyer. (8/31)
Politico:
Los Angeles Billionaire's Hospital System Declares Bankruptcy
The filing was meant to "facilitate a court-supervised sale of some or all of the hospitals" while addressing debts and claims that have built up over two decades, CEO Rich Adcock said in a letter. Verity is struggling under long-term debt of $500 million, according to recent financial disclosures. Soon-Shiong took over management of the system in July 2017, promising to provide "the highest level of care with the best outcomes at lowest cost for all Californians." (Tahir, 8/31)
The Washington Post:
Board Of Providence Hospital Overhauled Amid Plans To End Acute Services
The management of the District’s Providence Hospital has overhauled its board of directors amid controversy over plans to end acute-care services at the facility by the end of the year. A spokesman for Ascension, which owns the hospital and is the world’s largest Catholic-run health-care system, on Friday confirmed a shake-up of the board of directors first reported by the Washington City Paper. (Nirappil, 8/31)
The Washington Post:
Gender Pay Gap: Plano Doctor Gary Tigges Says It's “Fair” Because Women In Medicine Don’t Work As Hard
A doctor in Plano, Tex., apologized Sunday after sparking outrage for saying that female physicians make less than men because they “don't work as hard” and prioritize “something else … family, social, whatever." Medical professionals had taken Gary Tigges to task on social media for views they say are discriminatory and disproved by most research. Some have criticized the Dallas Medical Journal for highlighting the remarks; others have praised the monthly magazine for exposing them. (Telford, 9/3)
The Hill:
Texas Physician Tells Medical Journal Women 'Do Not Work As Hard'
"Nothing needs to be 'done' about this unless female physicians actually want to work harder and put in the hours. If not, they should be paid less. That is fair,” his comments continued. The salaries of the female doctors’ salaries included in the report was equivalent to about two-thirds of the male doctors, the Journal noted. (Gstalter, 9/2)
The Associated Press:
Detroit Is Latest Big School District To Turn Off Tap Water
Some 50,000 Detroit public school students will start the school year Tuesday by drinking water from coolers, not fountains, after the discovery of elevated levels of lead or copper — the latest setback in a state already dealing with the consequences of contaminated tap water in Flint and other communities. Detroit Public Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti expects the closure of water fountains and other drinking fixtures in all 106 schools to go smoothly because the district — Michigan's largest — had previously turned off the tap in 18 schools. (9/3)
The Associated Press:
Amid Crisis, San Francisco Using Data To Track Homeless
San Francisco is turning to big data to help ease its homeless crisis. The city has been quietly crafting a system to closely track every homeless man, woman and child, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Saturday. The purpose is two-fold: to tailor housing, rehabilitation and other services to them, but also to eliminate wasteful duplication of those efforts. (9/1)
The Associated Press:
Lawsuit: Surgeon Left Needle Inside Patient, Who Later Died
The family of a Tennessee man who died shortly after a surgeon left a needle inside his chest cavity has sued the hospital. The Tennessean reports 73-year-old John Burns Johnson had open heart surgery at TriStar Centennial Hospital on May 2017. After about nine hours of surgery, a surgeon closed his chest only to discover one of his needles was missing. An X-ray revealed it was inside Johnson. The surgeon then tried to retrieve the needle but was unsuccessful. (9/1)
The Associated Press:
Synthetic Pot Exposure Sickened Pennsylvania Prison Workers
Pennsylvania officials say a substance that has sickened more than two dozen corrections employees in the past month and led to an ongoing statewide prison lockdown is believed to be a clear, odorless chemical known as synthetic marijuana. (8/31)
Los Angeles Times:
Invasive Mosquitoes Are Spreading Across Los Angeles County. Have You Been Bitten?
Have you experienced an unusual number of mosquito bites this summer? Have they landed mostly below the knee and especially around your ankles? And did the six-legged perpetrator fly off unnoticed, like a mosquito ninja, after feasting on your blood? (Netburn, 9/1)
The Washington Post:
To Fight Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Montgomery Co. Offers Condoms In Some High School Clinics
With sexually transmitted infections surging in Montgomery County, leaders in the Maryland suburb are for the first time offering condoms in several high school health clinics and considering expanding to more than 20 other schools. The move comes as Montgomery looks to reverse a spike in gonorrhea and chlamydia that the county’s health officer has called “a public health crisis,” with the jump in cases in the county outstripping statewide increases. (St. George, 9/3)